Monday, April 23, 2012

Making Stuff

It feels really good to get things done, doesn't it? Do you know that feeling where you see a need and you think, "I could totally do that. It would be simple and easy to take care of that."? And then you write it down, or put it on a list, or archive it somewhere in the back of your mind... But then, if you actually bite the bullet and take a few minutes when you have some down time, when you would really rather do nothing at all, and you actually accomplish those tasks... Don't you just feel triumphant??? I do!

Recently, Caiden pulled the arm off of her sunglasses that she had found a renewed interest in. She had been wearing them everywhere and trying them on in all sorts of different ways. But one evening, at a party, she was fiddling around with them and ripped one of the arms right off. She was so sad, so I told her not to worry, we could get her a new pair. So we did... She found some hot pink sunglasses and I thought: "I should make a little sunglasses case for her, so they don't get scratched or broken while she totes them around..." I put in on my list. Today, I made one!

Additionally, I have always been an understocked mother. My friends always used to remember to bring cool toddler snacks, sippy cups, and hand sanitizer with them when our kids were young. They were like professional mothers. I was like the hand-me-down-clothes-kid of mothers. Always forgetting snacks, or extra clothes, I never had any hand sanitizer with me. I certainly never had the cool snacks. And this legacy has followed me ever since! As much as I take my kids with me on grown up meet ups and coffee shop dates, I always arrive thinking, "Darn! I don't have any paper! The kids are going to be so bored and want to color, and I have nothing!" And lately, my severe lack of foresight has been magnified by the fact that a good friend of mine keeps having to rip lovely, interesting pages out of her cool journal for my kids to doodle on. So, I finally bought some little notebooks to keep in my purse for just such occasions, but guess what? I left them on my kitchen table, so we had to raid the beautiful journal yet again!!! I also happen to love organizing, containers, and kits, even though I'm not very organized, have very little containers, and very sorry looking kits. But I try. Anyway, I thought, "Along with the sunglasses case, I should also make a little crayon pouch that I can carry in my purse for emergencies. And it will be cool and it will be like a little kit. They don't have any cool things like that at Target..." So I put it on my list, too. And today, I made one!!!!

All of this to say: although, I'm not super proud of the handiwork part (I always cut a lot of corners), I am so elated to have taken care of some of the things on my list! I love that feeling!!!

3 comments:

Ingrid
said...

Thanks for posting! I feel like I get a peek into your life whenever I read your blog. And kudos for getting things done. Next on my list (after finals of course) painting/staining Tirzah's dresser that we got at Goodwill for $5. It is made of beautiful, but unfinished, wood.

I can relate. Its because my kids do not usually snack it up @ home. Its only when we are gone...then they get huuunggrrry! Also, I love the fabric for the crayons! It is so cute, and the glasses case! Love it all :)